Ésen Maiko
by Cretha Loesing
Summary: A young girl, Ésen Maiko, is found on the plains of Alderaan, by Bail Organa and Padme. But who is she? Why does she distrust everyone she meets and who is the mercenary following her?
1. Chapter 1: Ésen Maiko

I woke up on a plain, the strange silence hanging around me. The grassy hills were around me, and I felt some strange sense of calm I'd never experienced before. However the wind chilled me, even though thrills went through my veins at it. It blew through my hair, and I felt my heart thrum with it.

The sun was setting. Golden light caressed parts of hills, while darkening purple shadows lengthened behind them. In the distance there was a city, as gorgeous a sight as I had ever seen. It was situated atop some mountains. The towers curved impossibly high, and they were beautiful in the light-play of gold and purple.

I squinted, noticing some figures in the distance. They were coming closer by the looks of it. They waved at me, as I watched them. The wind suddenly blew, making me shiver as I curled up in a ball. I waved back at them. They continued to approach me.

I watched and waited for them to come to me. The sun was set before the small party arrived.

There was a tall man with black hair. He looked respective and noble. The young woman with him, had brown hair and pale skin. Her hair was put up in some sort of ceremonial up-do, and her gaze was friendly and calm.

"Hello." The man said. I searched for an answer as the wind blew. It sifted through my hair, and despite its ice chill, relaxed me.

"Hello." I told them. The wind blew again, and I shivered. My visitors remained silent.

"What are you doing out in the wild alone?" The man asked. I looked down, staring at the ground as the wind picked up again. It whispered words in my ear, silently, in another language. I sighed, understanding what it wished me to say.

"I don't remember." I told him honestly. I could sense their concern flaring.

"Do you remember your name?" The woman persuaded. I looked up at her and wondered why the wind told me to stay away from this woman.

"Maiko," I whispered as the wind sifted through my hair, "My name is Ésen Maiko." The wind whispered in my ear hurriedly, and I shut my eyes, listening to the sound.

"And you," I translated, "are Hayato and Rhea." Both of them looked at me strangely. Silence fell between us as the wind died down. The woman looked concerned as I shivered. It was dark now, the warm glow of the sun slowly dipping below the horizon.

* * *

><p><strong>Hayato-<strong> **Falcon man  
>Rhea- Mother<br>Ésen Maiko- Wind  
>Maiko- Dancing Child<strong>

Hope you liked it! please review, next chapter up soon!


	2. Chapter 2: Isha Vitomir

'_Hivishthashshaia Alvanarrion isthoo taldmarkwerería' (you are betraying us.) The wind whispered_

_I was silent, shock coursing through my veins._

'_Nisashsharoth atrapolido.' (return at once) it commanded in a whispery voice. I shivered, trembling as I felt its rage course through me._

'_Hivishthashshaia Alvanarrion.' The voices whispered harshly. I covered my ears, doubling over as their wills battered me._ _They continued whispering, whispering and I caught the words 'traitor', 'child', and many others. Tears poured down my cheeks as their voices grew louder and angrier._

'_Return to us!' one voice shouted above the others. It boomed like thunder, and silence followed it. The silence was like silence before a storm: tense, angry, brewing. It was worse then when they tried to bend my will, now they only waited for me. Their silence was slowly driving me insane. I screamed, trying to fill the dark emptiness that had grown around me…_

"Ésen!" Someone shook me awake. I realized I was crying, weeping openly. Hot tears streaked down my face, burning my skin as they soaked the pillow.

"Shhh, shhh." A woman pulled me into her arms, speaking soothingly. I struggled to calm myself; this woman was a stranger, she could be my friend or my enemy. I slowly took deep breaths, wincing as my voice rasped.

"It's okay." She whispered. Silence fell, and I extracted myself from her arms. Turning my back on her, I managed to calm myself enough to think. The only person it could be, was Rhea.

"You're Rhea, aren't you." I was surprised at how calm my voice sounded.

"You've called me that before. My name is Padme." She told me. The way she sounded, so kind… I had to stop her. Attachments were dangerous, they made me vulnerable. Trust would render me ineffective.

"You may call me Maiko." I told her in a calm, cold voice. Padme's shock reverberated behind me. Letting her get used to it, I scanned the room.

It was white, circular. The entire place was beautiful, kind and graceful. Large windows opened up to the outside on one wall. That would be my escape, I figured.

"Why were you out there?" Padme asked softly. I ignored her and walked to the window, flinging it open to the outside. The cold wind blew in, making me shiver. I relished its icy bite.

Several seconds passed. I shut my eyes and enjoyed the cool air, focusing on it. Padme cleared her throat loudly and I opened my eyes again, focusing on the plains. The grassy hills waved in the wind.

"I don't know," I told her, "And I doubt I ever will." Fear and sadness rose in me. Fear that I had lost something more than my memory, sadness because… it felt like something was missing. It was as if my heart was broken, and I was missing a piece of it.

Padme moved to my side. She laid a hand on my shoulder, no doubt trying to comfort me. It did the exact opposite. I backed away from her. The sound of the door opening startled me, and I froze as footsteps entered the room.

"We have received demands from an Isha Vitomir that we hand Ésen over to him." A voice said behind me, sending shivers down my back. Auburn hair and yellow eyes flashed across my mind. I shook away the painful memories and turned to face the man. It was Hayato.

"His real name is Sayyid," I told them, "and he is my enemy." Looking up, I saw the curiosity flare in Hayato's eyes.

"Why do you say that?" Hayato asked. I glared at him.

"The man is cruel and evil. His presence points to the fact that I am not safe here. I must leave soon." I told Hayato calmly. Hayato looked concerned.

"Why?" Padme intergected.

"Because Sayyid will use any means necessary to get at me;" I curtly told her, "and if forced to, he will go far beyond murder to get at me."

"Beyond murder?" Hayato asked.

"If you can imagine it." I told him. Hayato looked skeptical. He looked up at Padme and the two of them exchanged glances.

"Senator Organa." A voice blaired from his commlink.

"Yes Skylar." Hayato, now Organa, turned away from them.

"Isha blew up a bomb and is somewhere in Aldera;" Skylar told him, "He said he was coming after Ésen Maiko, and that he was going to kill her." Organa looked over his shoulder at me, then turned back to the hologram of Skyar.

"I understand. We'll meet you in the hanger." Organa said hurriedly, and ended the transmission. He turned back to Padme and I.

"There's no need to explain, take me to wherever you keep your ships." I interrupted him. Organa shut his mouth and I followed him out. Padme walked behind me.

We continued down several hallways. The place was beautiful, and I could have spent all day staring at the architecture, were it not for the adrenaline in my veins. My heart was thumping in my chest, and I was constantly looking over my shoulder, expecting to look down Sayyid's blaster and see his leering smile.

The very air seemed to scream a warning at me, as we entered the hanger. The place was dark and empty. I could tell that it put Organa and Padme on edge. We passed by a few ships and were granted with a shock.

Sayyid stood ten feet infront of us, holding a gun to a young man's head. He looked up at us as we approached, and I flinched at the pain that reflected in his eyes.

"Well well well, I didn't expect it to be this easy." Sayyid smiled.

"Shut up and let the young man go." I growled at him. Sayyid smirked.

"Well aren't we on edge?"

I couldn't help it. The feeling in the hanger, it was as if the air was waiting for tragedy. The entire place was dark, like a dark pall had been drawn over it making the air heavy. It smelled of death.

"Cut the blinking phobium. The boy has nothing to do with us: let him go." I demanded, ignoring Padme and Organa's shocked stares at my cursing. Sayyid grinned, sending shivers up my spine.

"Certainly. As long as you're waling out of here with me." He taunted.

"Not gonna happen." I cut Organa off. Sayyid locked gazes with me, and we battled each other for a moment. I struggled to hold the iron wall around my mind up. Sayyid's consciousness swept around me, churning chaotically as it bashed against my walls. His eyes narrowed to a glare as I resisted longer and longer.

"Fine," Sayyid snarled, and I was relieved when he stopped pounding my mental defenses, "I will give you ten seconds to reconsider."

Organa and Padme moved back to me. They positioned themselves between me and Sayyid, each holding up their fists.

"Ten."

I stared at the boy's eyes. He couldn't have been that much older than me. 17, 18 at most.

"Nine."

His blonde hair hung in dreadlocks framing his face. Sweat dripped down his brow.

"Eight."

The boy clenched his teeth, and bent over slightly. I could almost feel his pain, Sayyid had used similar techniques on me.

"Seven."

Padme and Organa exchanged glances. I hurriedly glanced around the hanger, wondering if there was anything I could use to stop Sayyid.

"Six."

There was only a few cargo boxes, but nothing else within reach.

"Five."

The boy's grey eyes locked gazes with me. His gaze was desperate, fearful… I was overwhelmed by his fear.

"Four."

Panic cursed through my blood. My heart beat rapidly. I desperately searched for a way to save the boy's life.

"Three."

Pure terror shone in his eyes. Sympathy threatened to overwhelm me. No one should have to die this way, afraid.

"Two."

No, he shouldn't die in this state, not terrified of the death that awaited him. There was only one possible way to save him, and that… I couldn't risk it. To fall into Sayyid's hands again, to condemn my life to that sort of suffering would be foolish. The boy was a goner anyways, Sayyid likely wouldn't let him live, even if I traded myself with him.

"One."

Time slowed. It happened in an instant, one bright flash of light and the boy was gone. His terrified gray eyes held mine, as they turned dull. The boy fell to his knees, a bloody scorched hole in his neck pouring blood. He tumbled over and lay still.

Sayyid cackled and Organa ran at him. In a second, Organa was on the ground clutching a bleeding leg. Sayyid aimed his gun at Padme and I tackled her to the ground, the laser flashing over us.

As I rolled off her, Padme jumped up and ran at Sayyid. She kicked the gun out of his hand before he had a chance to fire. Sayyid growled and threw a punch at her. Padme stumbled back and I jumped at my feet as the sound of boots echoed behind me. Soldiers entered the hanger behind us and I heard shouting behind me. Sayyid panicked, and shot a murderous glare at me before running away. Most of the soldiers pursued him, while a couple stayed with me.

"Are you alright?" The soldier asked, concerned.

"I'm fine." I told him, though I felt slightly light-headed. The soldier nodded and turned towards Padme and Organa. Padme sat up and I swayed, before sitting down.

I felt my blood rush to my head and blacked out.


End file.
